Alpha's breath came in as a hiss. Nyx tucked her ears back and dabbed the swab more gently over his open wound. He grunted but tried not to concentrate on the pain. One of his sons was held wide-eyed in his good arm, alert to the smell of blood but quiet in his father's warmth. Nyx cleaned the claw slashes as best she could, terrified by their depth. Her other son and daughter sat restlessly within the curl of her tail. Why had this happened to her family? Bits of glass sprinkled the floor amidst shards of wood. What was left of their flimsy door hung on its hinges. The house was cold and outside the morning had brought only rain. Nyx jumped